LAKE GASTON – This is shaping up to be one of those classic mid-November patterns we love to see on Gaston. With the water temperature holding at 65 degrees and stable conditions, the fish are settling into their late fall patterns nicely.
Stripers are finally getting consistent, with most of the action centered around the mouth of Pea Hill Creek and along the main channel from Eaton’s Ferry Bridge down to the dam. Live shad is still your best bet, but the fish are hitting bucktails pretty well when you can find them schooled up. Most of the better catches are coming early in the morning or late in the afternoon when boat traffic is minimal. Watch for diving birds – they’ll tell you where the bait is.
Bass fishing has been solid this week. The fish are relating heavily to main-lake points and boat docks where they’re following the shad schools. Your best pattern is working those areas with a combination of Rat-L-Traps and jig ‘n pig setups. The jig bite has been particularly good in that 8-15 foot range. With this weather pattern holding steady, don’t be afraid to slow-roll a spinnerbait along deeper docks – we’re seeing some quality fish come from that pattern.
Crappie fishing remains excellent – these fish are stacked up tight around bridge pilings and deeper brush piles in 12-16 feet of water. Live minnows are hard to beat right now, but pink and white jigs are taking their fair share when you find a good school.
Catfish action remains steady on cut bait and chicken livers, particularly after dark. Some good blues are being caught in the deeper holes near the channels.
This is typically one of our better fishing periods of the year, folks, and the conditions are lining up just right. Take advantage of these stable weather patterns while they last.
